Front Bumper Resprayed

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The front bumper was starting to look a bit scruffy after 50k miles of motorway driving with a couple of large stone (rock) chips which had caused the paint to start peeling away. Every time I washed the car there were chunks of paint coming off due to apparent poor adhesion between the top coat and primer. I decided to get it painted professionally and got a quote from a local bodyshop to strip the bumper off the car, paint and refit.

I took some photos right before I dropped the car off to give you an idea of how bad it had become. Unfortunately I neglected to take any photos after it was painted but unsurprisingly it looked like it had just been painted!

Swirl Flap Removal & Vacuum Hose Replacement ( 123065 miles )

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Although the swirl flaps should be the revised ones in my LCI 535d, I decided to proactively replace them rather than taking the risk of one letting go. I got a blanking plate kit from PMW Ltd ( https://www.pmwltd.co.uk/swirl-flaps ) along with new manifold gaskets and o-rings. They are pretty straightforward to fit if you just take your time and follow the instructions.

Since the intake manifold was off, I took the opportunity to replace all the braided rubber vacuum hoses which are otherwise very difficult to reach. The old hoses are quite hard and the best way to remove them from the various nipples Is to cut the hose near the nipple and peel it off rather than trying to pull it off with force.

I also took the opportunity to thoroughly clean the manifold and checked it carefully for any signs of cracks or other damage.

In the end, my swirl flaps were all intact and looked like they would probably be fine for another 50k miles or so, but I decided to remove them anyway. I noticed no difference in drivability of the car or fuel consumption afterwards.

Tyres - 2 x Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ( 121414 miles )

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When I swapped the winter wheels for summer wheels back in April, I noticed that the summer tyres were getting towards the 3 to 4mm mark and would need replaced soon. You don’t take a car like the 535d down to 1.6mm. I was also keen to dispense with the mismatched runflat tyres and get onto some decent rubber so I ordered and fitted a pair of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres to fit to the back wheels.



Front Brakes Replaced (85086 miles)

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Front Brakes Replaced (85086 miles)

As noted in a previous post, my front brake pads were nearing minimum thickness but when inspected closely, it was clear that the discs were also in need of renewal as they were close to minimum thickness as well. On a performance car like the 535d, it would be foolish to scrimp on brakes so I ordered a set of genuine BMW discs from Cotswold BMW to fit along with the pads and wear sensor already purchased.

The fitting process was relatively easy and in fact easier than most cars I have seen. 

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Rear Glass Hatch Switch Replacement

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Rear Glass Hatch Switch Replacement

Yesterday when pulling out of a petrol station my rear glass hatch release activated and the luggage cover retracted. At the time I thought maybe I just hadn't closed it properly but it happened again later in the day. After a bit of research on BMW Land I discovered this was a common problem and either meant a problem with the wiring or more likely, the hatch switch. Since the new switch was reasonably priced, and was the most likely cause, I decided to replace it.

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